Athens Timeline

 

Neolithic Period
 6th millennium BC First traces of habitation in Athens plain.
4th millennium BC First traces of habitation in the area around the Acropolis and the Agora.


Late Bronze Age – Late Helladic

 16th century BC First building remains on the Acropolis.
1300-1250 BC Large terraces for buildings and palace on the Acropolis.
1250-1200 BC Fortification of the Acropolis with cyclopean walls.
1205-1183 BC According to mythology, Menestheus reigns in Athens. Participation in the Trojan War.
1200-1150 BC Collapse of Late Bronze Age civilizations.

Geometric Period

 1089–1068 BC According to mythology, reign of Codrus, the last king of Athens.
1100-900 BC Dark Ages.
9th century BC Athens develops trade.
 










Archaic Period









 682-681 BC Establishment of a one-year term of the Eponymous Archons
632 BC An attempt by Cylon to seize power.
621 BC Legislation of Draco.
593 BC Legislation of Solon.
570-560 BC Construction of the first monumental temple, the “Hecatompedon” on the Acropolis.
566 BC Reorganization of the feast of the Great Panathenaea.
545 BC Peisistratus becomes for the 3rd and final time a tyrant of Athens.
534 BC The first theatrical contests take place.
527 BC Death of Peisistratus.
525 BC Cleisthenes becomes the Eponymous Archon for one year.
514 BC Assassination of Hipparchus, son of Peisistratus by the “Tyrannocides” Harmodius and Aristogeiton. His brother Hippias becomes tyrant of Athens.
510 BC Fall of Hippias.
510 BC circa Construction of the Temple of Athena Polias on the Acropolis (“Ancient Temple”).
508 BC Reforms of Cleisthenes – Democracy in Athens.
493 BC Themistocles becomes Eponymous Archon.
490 BC  1st Persian Campaign and Battle of Marathon.
490-488 BC Commencement of construction of the Pre-parthenon on the Acropolis.
489 BC Death of Miltiades.
480 BC September: 1st destruction of Athens by the Persians. The Acropolis and the temples are set on fire.
479 BC June: 2nd complete destruction of Athens by the Persians.











Classical Period 










 479 BC Construction of the Themistoclean Wall.
478 BC Establishment of the Delian League.
472 BC Aeschylus receives the 1st prize for the tragedy “Persians”.
467 BC Construction of the southern wall of the Acropolis by Cimon.
461 BC Pericles begins to lead Athens.
459 BC Cimon builds the Northern Long and the Phalericon Wall.
454 BC The treasury of the Delian League is transferred to the temple of Athena on the Acropolis.
450 BC Death of Cimon.
447 BC Construction of the Parthenon begins.
446-443 BC Construction of the South Long Wall.
438 BC Opening of the Parthenon.
437-432 BC Construction of the Acropolis Propylaea.
432 BC The last statues go up to the Parthenon. The temple is completed.
431 BC Break out of the Peloponnesian War.
430-429 BC Plague of Athens and death of Pericles.
428 BC Euripides wins the 1st prize with the tragedy “Hippolytus”.
426-421 BC Construction of the temple of Athena Nike.
421 BC Aristophanes presents the comedy “Peace”.
421 BC March Peace of Nicias. Short pause of the Peloponnesian War.
421 BC Construction of the Erechtheion begins.
413 BC Destruction of the Athenian army and fleet during the Sicilian Campaign.
409 BC Sophocles receives the 1st prize for the tragedy “Philoctetes”.
404 BC Defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian War. Demolition of Long Walls. Regime of the Thirty Tyrants.
403 BC Restoration of Democracy under Thrasybulus.
399 BC Death of Socrates.
338 BC Battle of Chaeronea. Surrender of Athens to the Macedonians.
322 BC Capitulation of the Athenians to the Macedonian Antipater during the Lamian War.

 Hellenistic Period

 317-307 BC The Macedonian general Cassander appoints Demetrius of Phalerum as the city’s archon.
307 BC The Macedonian general Demetrius the Besieger occupies Athens.
287 BC Siege of Athens by Demetrius the Besieger.
180 BC circa Construction of the Middle Stoa.
150 BC circa Construction of the Stoa of Attalos.
 Roman Period
 86 BC Siege and destruction of Athens by the Roman general Sulla.
130-132 AD The emperor Hadrian builds the Pantheon, the Library and completes the Olympieion.
267 AD The Heruli invade and destroy Athens. Parthenon is burnt.
 




Late Roman and Byzantine Period




 3rd century AD, late Parthenon is repaired.
396 AD Alaric invades Athens.
529 AD By order of Emperor Justinian, the Philosophical Schools are closed.
6th century AD Conversion of the Parthenon into a Christian church (Panagia Athiniotissa).
582 AD. Slavic tribes invade Athens.
733 AD Athens is promoted ecclesiastically from Diocese to Metropolis.
1018 AD The emperor Basil II comes for a pilgrimage to Panagia Athiniotissa.
1180 AD, circa Invasion of Saracen pirates.
1182 AD The scholar Michael Choniates becomes Metropolitan of Athens.

Frankish occupation

 1204 AD Athens surrenders to the Franks. The Duchy of Athens under Otto de la Roche is founded.
1311 AD Athens passes into the hands of the Catalans.
1388 AD The Florentine Acciaioli occupy Athens.
1395 AD The Venetians occupy Athens.
1402-1403 AD Siege of Athens by Antonio I. Acciaioli against the Venetians.



 Ottoman Period



 1456-58 AD Occupation of Athens by the Ottomans.
1640 AD A lightning ignites gunpowder in the Propylaea and destroys part of the building.
1687 AD September Siege of the Acropolis by the Venetians and explosion of the Parthenon.
1688 AD, April 9 Recapture of Athens by the Ottomans.
1775 AD Hadji Ali Haseki is appointed ruler (voivode) of Athens for the first time.
1778 AD. Turkish-Albanian invasion in Attica. Construction of Haseki city wall.
1801-1812 AD Lord Elgin removes and transports to Britain a number of statues and architectural members from the Acropolis and Attica in general.
1822 AD Occupation of Athens by the Greek revolutionaries.
1827 AD Destruction and occupation of Athens by the Turks under Kütahı Pasha.
Modern Greece
 1833 AD, March 31 Withdrawal of the Turkish garrison from the Acropolis. Official liberation of Athens.
1834 AD, September 18 Athens becomes the capital of Greece.
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